It’s seven degrees on a cold, wintery Melbourne morning. Ben Jankovski rolls into the café with his electric blue wheels, a beaming smile on his face and a haircut fresher than the icy, crisp air outside.
“Look. I’m not thinking about the result. I’m thinking about the first 10 minutes when that siren sounds. That’s all we’ve got to worry about.”
The 2024 Victorian Wheelchair Grand Final is this Sunday against a dominant Richmond side. The Tigers finished the season in top spot on the ladder, in both VWFL and CWFL competitions.
It’s a huge challenge that lies ahead for the Pies, but Jankovski is built for this.
In fact, he revels in it.
From his junior football days through to his wheelchair football career; this will be the Captain’s ninth Grand Final appearance in his young sporting life and Jankovski’s calm yet competitive approach shines through.
“We’ve put a lot of work in to get to this stage of the year… Everyone is comfortable in their roles; the rotations have really started to find its form. We’ve just been building on every week, playing to each other’s strengths and making tactical changes.” Jankovski says.
“It’s business as usual. I just want to make sure everyone embraces the occasion. We’re going to celebrate the week and celebrate the achievement that we’re in the Grand Final. Because it’s a massive achievement.”
After a season riddled with ups and downs, the team’s bond has only gotten stronger.
“It’s a new-look team. A new style. New ways of connecting off the court, especially. I hope the fans can see how much this means to us and want to emphasise how much it means wearing the black-and-white jumper.”
“I think our connection has been our motivation as a whole. We haven’t been results driven. We’ve been driven by our process. It’s in how we play, how we connect with each other on-and-off the court. That’s been the biggest motivator for us. It hasn’t been one person; it’s been the whole collective.” Jankovski continues.
The mixture of past and present players makes up the rich identity of the team, and for Ben, it’s important to not lose that perspective.
“We’ve been in the league long enough to have role models to look back on in the past in the wheelchair space, so we really want to honour past players. And honour the club as best we can regardless of the result.”
It’s about more than results for the wheelchair Magpies. It has to be if it is to truly mean something.
How can I watch and attend?
Both games will be live streamed via the Victorian Wheelchair Football League Facebook page.
Entry is FREE. Reserve your ticket here.
How do I stay connected?
For all the latest news, scores, and highlights, follow Collingwood’s AFL handles on X, Facebook and Instagram.
